Insulated gage-plate.



No. 898,037. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

E. J. CLARK.

INSULATED GAGE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19, 1906.

, N g\ 2 i B 8 A I [I 7 f U =2 l a N1 ta in WITNESSES: "wan/r0)? EDWARD J. CLARK, OF BALTIMORE MARYLAND.

INSULATED GAGE-PLATE Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 19, 1906. Serial No. 335,195.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, EDWARD J. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Gage-Plates, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

Great difficulty has been experienced in supporting railway rails to preserve the gage thereof and yet have the two rails electrically insulated from each other. Particularly is this the case at switches and curves where the cars traversing the rails are directed out of a straight course, the wheel flanges on one sideof the cars having a tendency to force one rail away from the other. i

The object ofmy invention is to overcome this difficulty and I accomplish my object by providing a simple and efficient means for supporting the rails so as to revent movement thereof away from each ot er and to electrically insulate them from each other, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a pair of railway rails and supporting means therefor embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof.

1 designates the railway rails and 2 the tie. Resting upon the tie 2 and extending from end to end thereof, or substantially so, is a two part metal plate, 3, theparts thereof being interrupted by a space, 4, about midway of the tie 2. The plate 3 is provided with depressed portions 5 into which are fitted the bottom flan esof the rails 1 said flanges engaging the s oulders 6 to prevent lateral movement of the rails with respect to the plate. The depressed portions 5 of the plate 3'are fitted to depressions in the tie 2. The shoulders 7 of the plate 3 engage the shoulders 8 of the tie which assists in reventing movement of the parts of the 'p ate away from each other. There is however a lack of certainty in the tie preventingmovement of the parts of the plate away from each other, for the reason that the tie being made of wood the constant jarring of the rails wears the seat upon the tie and permits the rails to separate.

Arranged a ainst the upper and lower surfaces of the arfj acent ends of the two parts of I in fixe 3. The combination with the railway ralls in presence of two the plate 3 and extending across the s acev 4 and over said ends, are plates 9 of insifiating material which are firmly secured to the two parts of the plate 3 by suitable bolts 10 extending through the plates 3 and 9. Thus it will'be seen that the plates 9 electrically insulate the two parts of the plate from each other, and, in conjunction with the shoulders 7 and 8, effectually prevent movement of the parts of the plate 3 and perforce the rails 1 away from each other, thereby preserving the gage of the rails.

I claim 1.- The combination with the railway rails and the tie having depressions therein of a two art )late resting upon the tie and provide wit means for engaging said depressions, said plate being also provided with means for engaging the rails to prevent movement thereof away from each other, a plate of insulating material extending over the two parts of the first named plate and arranged within a depression in the tie, and bolts securing the second named plate to the two parts of the first named plate.

2. The combination with the railway rails and the tie, having depressions therein, of a two art late resting upon the tie and provide wit means'for engaging said depressions said plate being also rovided with means for engaging the ra' s to prevent movement thereof away from each other, and a member of insulating material secured to the arts of said plate, and holding them (i relation to each other.

and the tie having depressions therein, of a two art plate resting upon the. tie and provided with means for engaging said depressions, said plate being also provided with means for engaging the rails to prevent movement thereof away from each other; a plate of insulating material extending over the two parts of the first named plate, and bolts securing the second named p ate to the two parts of the first named late. A

In testimony whereof affix my signature witnesses.

EDWARD J. CLARK. Witnesses A. V. GROUPE, ELLA M. WARE. 

